There isn't a person anywhere who isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can. -Henry Ford

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 171:

It was quite a good day in Spartan Shape-Up Land, I would say... My Saturday morning began real early with some mandatory over time at work, so I figured I better capitalize on this early start to the day. Around noontime, finishing work, I found myself about a half hour away from my usual stomping grounds; Since it was a day for a Long Run, I thought I'd take advantage of some new scenery to bust out the prescribed 6.5 miles for today.

I found myself at the Stowe Recreation Path, in Stowe, Vt. I have to say, although it is a paved bike path, Stowe has done a great job of keeping it really scenic - it never feels like you're running on a bike path. The path is rolling - no huge, major hills, but enough inclines (particularly up and over the large quantity of ridiculously scenic bridges that crisscross the river for the whole path) to get to working a little harder periodically. I have traversed this path walking and biking many, many times, but have never braved it in the winter.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I had a sudden twinge of regret. I saw that the path was covered in snow. Uh oh. What to do?! I had at least 6.5 miles to cover today. I was dressed for the weather... but the snow covered path...?? I went back and forth for a minute and ultimately decided that I needed to at least give it a go. Maybe the path would be all packed down, and it wouldn't matter. Maybe I should just STFU and get out there... the added difficulty would be good for leg conditioning, or something, right?

Yes. I was psyching myself up for it. You see, BlogLand, in case you haven't noticed, I am a perpetual doubter of my abilities. I have lingering Fat Chick Syndrome that is pretty sure I just can't do those things. Intellectually I think I can, but then FCS kicks in a little bit and I wonder if I'm conditioned enough, or if I'm being over-ambitious, or ... and the list goes on. I must constantly remind myself that I'm not that person anymore, that I can do things I never thought I could, and that I intend to keep pushing the limits. Sometimes, for me, the key is to have someone outside my own head that can confidently affirm that I can do something. My poor GT must field this silliness all the time; I was pretty sure I'd never be able to run a whole 5K. Yeah, look what happened there. I'd never be able to stick to "No Bread".. yep, check check! More recently, I was pretty sure I'd never be able to complete a Spartan Race without dying - I got an excellent verbal bitch slap for that. Having someone who's opinion you trust and value, to keep you from getting in your own way, may be the most important training tool I've found. It is true, though... each and every time you prove your inner Fat Chick wrong, she stays a little quieter the next time.

So, I strapped on my shiny new Camelbak (Woo! My Favorite Christmas present!), and set out. I decided this was going to be a good time to bring a little hydration, as I find myself - anytime I'm running at least 5 miles - getting thirsty. As I set off, I assessed the terrain I was running on... 3ish inches of slightly packed snow. That, for those that are unfamiliar, is like running on the beach, in the slightly packed area near the water. It means that it feels solid - ISH, but that it shifts with every step you take.

The going was slow. I decided I was just not going to be able to worry about my pace (the focus was distance, anyway), because it was just impossible to go any faster. I had to keep my strides a bit shorter to stay sure-footed, and just couldn't cover the same sort of ground, due to the sink-in-slip factor. Plus, I'll tell ya, BlogLand, it was particularly tiring.

Stowe Rec Path

This was the scenic vista I had, while running today. Yes, I TOTALLY planned for that snowflake to fall artistically onto my camera lens, blurring the whole left side of my picture. Yes.

It was a decent day, for winter, though. As you can see, the sky was grey and really heavy with some looming snow (it started spitting some sort of rainy/snow thing, toward the end of my run), and it was pretty warm - around 32 degrees, I would say.

Mile 1 was a little rough - just getting the body warmed up was tricky. I started to feel a little doomed, as my calves started cramping initially, due to the snow, but I elected to push through. (The pain of a calf cramp will not kill me...) Luckily, they seemed to warm up out of that. Worse case scenario, I'd have to walk a little bit, right?

Mile 2 and 3 went by pretty uneventfully... got in the groove and figured out a pace and strategy that worked well. It was at this point I made a happy (?) mistake. In my head, I needed to run 6.5 miles... so, clearly I needed to run more than 3 miles out. 3.5 miles, then, it is! I'm not sure why my brain didn't comprehend distances less than a half mile and make that adjustment, but it made perfect sense at the time. So, on and on I trotted, until I stopped to tie my shoe and take a picture at mile 3.6.

I was definitely feeling the exertion at this point, but my legs felt like they still were good to go (particularly after having a 20 second shoe-tying break!), and I was breathing well... so, back at it.

Somewhere around mile 4.5-5, I realized the error of my math. 3.6 x 2 is not 6.5 miles. It's over 7 miles. I was still running, but I died a little inside. I've never run that distance before, I was getting tired from running on the awkward terrain, and holy crap, SEVEN MILES?!

... but what choice did I have? It was an out and back run, and I wasn't back at the car yet... sooo... might as well keep running. Plus, realistically, it's only like 1 mile beyond what I've run in the past... how bad could that be?

It was REAL ROUGH. As I completed mile 6, I was at a familiar stretch of the trail and knew I didn't have too far to go... but it seemed like forever at the slow, arduous pace. And I was HUNGRY. Really Hungry. Lesson learned for next time: Water was a big bonus... any runs over 5-6 miles, I must also bring snack. I think with the extra exertion for the cold and the sinking terrain, my body must've been using some extra energy. I was pretty sure I could've eaten an entire cow, at that point. I think if I had had some fuel around mile 4, the last part of my trek would've been a bit easier. Mile 7 sucked. But I was pushing through it on will and principle alone. How much more awesome would it be to say I had run SEVEN miles, rather than 6 and change? What an excellent new conquest that would be.

Left, Right, Left Right... breathe... breathe... just keep moving... short strides, keep moving.... Left Right... breathe....

That's pretty much the only thing going through my head for the last stretch.

Ultimately, my run came out to be 1:31:09 hours, and 7.12 miles. Don't calculate the pace there... It's pretty ugly. haha... (12:48 min/mi). However, I think it's really irrelevant. I think the mileage is the key piece here.

Successfully Long Run Day! Eee!

Having said that, I also have to give some credit to some excellent new gear I acquired. Dear Under Armour Cold Gear Compression Tights. I LOVE YOU, so much. I got you on sale for $45 and that made you even better. These tights have a great stay-in-place wide waistband, as well as a super-soft, but warm inside. Where I've been having issues with the outsides of my legs getting chilled in these long runs, there was none of that today, in my UA gear. My legs weren't anywhere near cold, even when it started with the wet-snow coming down. I was dry, comfortable, and totally satisfied with this purchase. I would not feel bad even paying full price for these things. There will definitely be more of these in my future, and I'm thinking I may have to check out the rest of the ColdGear line, if I'm going to keep up this running-in-VT-in-the-winter thing.

With that, I think I'm off to bed, BlogLand. Today really took it out of me, and tomorrow morning (thankfully, not until 9am!!) is Crossfit. Also (yikes, Sunday!), depending on how CF goes, It should also be a bit of a regular (4 mi) recovery run, tomorrow. One thing at a time.
(Note to self: Pay more attention to eating appropriately, tomorrow!)

I'll leave you with this, Friends:
What have you done recently that you never thought you could do? (If your answer is "nothing..." then get out there and try... that's how it all begins...)

"Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 87:

I can't help but notice the weather lately, BlogLand. Here in scenic Vermont, it's definitely been some chilly, windy fall weather, with a generous rainy contribution. I'm pretty okay with that, as I've determined that I don't mind running in the rain, and I'd MUCH rather run with a slight chill (as that is only temporary) than slog through the heat. However, I ponder what will happen once the snow flies. Yes. I said the S word. It's inevitable... it's decidedly not odd for us to start getting flurries (even a dusting or so) by Halloween. And then what will I do? Being pretty new to running, I suddenly have lots of questions to research (any input, Readers?):
- Do I still run when there's snow on the sidewalk?
- What sort of shoes do I need to acquire to have successful winter runs?
- What kind of different/special clothes will I need?
- What if it's too icy to run, what's the next best workout substitute (a huge concern, as winters are LONG in Vermont... I don't want to be not-running from November-March...)

Hmm. Lots to think about. Although, on the upside, I did just learn that they've put in an Under Armour OUTLET like 35 min from my house.... that means I ought to be able to acquire all KINDS of excellent sporty clothing. Woot! (I feel that winter running is an valid and perfectly legitimate excuse for shopping.)

Anyway, on to today. It was a real lazy feeling day today. I was tired last night and really hit the pillow hard. Slept in late (weekends have taken on a new meaning, now that I'm working M-F again...), and wandered around in the comfy clothes for a while, chatting with the roommate and just generally relaxing and enjoying having no place to be. I DID utilize that off time to update my whiteboard workout calendar schedule, as we're officially into weeks 13-16 now.

It was a WEE bit scary, as I officially put on the calendar the 5K race that I'm going to do at the end of this month. It's one of my milestone goals (see the sidebar to the right) and one so close to being checked off. I'm nervous though... I still have trouble viewing myself AS a runner (even though I run. Often.), and have some anxiety about looking stupid ("What if I'm LAST? What if I'm that slow, fat chick in the back?!"). I know, intellectually, that these are not reasonable concerns. That simply the fact that I'm there, doing it negates many of those... but... still. Body transformations are much easier than mental switches, sometimes. I look in the mirror and still (often) see 284# me, who could not dream of ever being one of "those people" that ran races.
However, I've been reading some really inspiring stories lately - of people getting through their first 5K, or first Spartan race, or any number of other 'firsts'... and I feel reassured. Not to mention the fact that even if I have to run it alone (and I will, if it comes to that!), I know that there are lots of people out there who virtually have my back and are cheering me on. (Secretly, I'm really hoping that my Mud Mafia t-shirt comes in before then, so I can sport that and feel like I'm racing with a whole virtual team!)
Anyway, enough about that. I have two whole weeks more to freak out about that, and/or reach some sort of Zen place. I'm thinking that next weekend I'm going to go scout the course and perhaps run it, so I know what I'm up against. Take away one of the scary 'unknowns', you know?

Today's WOD was a Body weight workout day. I see so much progress in these workouts, but I really do hate them. haha. These are HARD. Hard in a different way than Crossfit, or Running, or lifting something really heavy... I dunno. Weird.

WOD looked like this (all unweighted):

• 5 min: Jump rope w/u (I'm getting good at this and working on some successful double unders... stay tuned!)
• Squats - 80
• Push ups - 50
• Split Squats - 60 (I also figured out how I was getting weird rug burn on the tops of my foot/toes... put your foot on the arm of a couch for split squats and see what happens. lol.)
• Dips - 40 (being mindful to keep my body *just* in front of the chair, not out forward, stressing my shoulders)
• Calf raises - 30
• Lunges - 30
• Scissor Kicks - 40
• Ball Crunches - 40
• Burpees (...of DEATH) - 10

Definitely not my most bad ass workout, mostly because I ran out of time, before I had to get in the shower and head to a dinner obligation. Usually, I'd try and get one more round in there, making sure most of reps were at least at 50-60. BUT, sometimes things happen. Better 30-40 reps than none at all. 

Tomorrow, I think I'm going to attempt my first Pet Rock Workout. I'm thinking Grover (apparently, my Pet Rocks' name, I'm told...) and I are going to head up Spruce Peak - a relatively easy, not to short, not too long, not too steep, but still slightly challenging, and oh-so-scenic hike near me. My rough plan will be to throw Grover most of the way up, then carry him (about 18#) most of the way down. Somehow, throwing him down the mountain just doesn't seem to make as much sense, at this moment. Hmm. We shall see. It's supposed to be a Run Day, but I'm thinking it will still be a great leg workout, and a nice mental break from just pounding the city pavement. 

AND, Note to Self: DRINK MORE WATER. 

“Nobody ever drowned in sweat.”

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 68:

So, the original plan for today was to get up at the crack of dawn (6am for me), do my scheduled workout (It was t-handle swing day!), go try and learn something at work, come home and head to a Crossfit skills building class.

Thank god that got a bit derailed my by Insomnia and resultant inability to consistently crawl out of bed at an early hour. Why is that good? WELL, it turned out to be Kettlebell day in Crossfit land, too. Not sure two swinging workouts in one day would've been awesome. Although, whatever. haha. I'm kind of enjoying the constant challenge of seeing how far my body can go before it really hates me.

Anyway, today's class was kettlebells skill building - aimed to be part of a series to get you ready to participate in a in a full fledged CF WOD. Which meant, we did a LOT of moving around of kettlebells. How to do a good swing. How to do a better swing. An over head swing. A KB thruster. A KB clean. KB around the world's... the list goes on. We were only doing them in chunks of 10-15 at a time, for instruction purposes, but if you do it fast enough, or with a heavy enough weight, that adds up over the course of 50 minutes!
All things considered, I enjoy kettlebell workouts, though. Somehow, swinging stuff around still seems "fun" whilst proceeding to kick my ass.

Today's WOD: (I'm going to detail the class, too... this particular trainer made us do a lot more hands-on learning...)

• 500m ski (OW. ABS.)
• 500m row (Helloooo back.)
• 5 min jump rope (SO glad I've been practicing. Proudly claiming the honor as the only one who went the whole 5 min without tripping. Yeeeah!)
• 50min KB training: swings, overhead swings, squat cleans, thrusters (...and?)
• Official WOD
• 8 min: EMOTM (every min. on the min.)
• 3 KB Thrusters
• 6 KB Around the World's
• 9 KB Overhead Swings

So, today, I got through that hour of stuff with a 22# KB. No problem, at all. It was really gratifying to do that, particularly seeing the lack of strength in many of the other beginners. Not because they are weak (hell, they are in that class, working to change themselves! That is a strong thing to do!), but it was gratifying to remind myself.. of myself. Why I'm doing this, why I continue to push hard, sweat harder (more on that in a min.), and smile through the stiff/sore days. I've come a long way, damnit... and despite having a LONG way to go, I know I won't go back. 

Now, we need to digress for just a minute, on the topic of Sweat. I may have prompted a bit of a discussion among the Spartan Chicks on the topic of sweat. Mostly because I want to know why Me and Random Cheerleader Chick (RCC) can be in the same class and a few things happen: I work faster, with heavier things, carrying significantly more weight on my body, but upon finishing the workout am back to normal breathing WAY quicker than Ms. RCC, and still good to go for more. However, *I* am drenched. Sweat Puddle (ew. I know.). I may have blinded the poor man next to me, as my pony tail flung sweat into his eyes. It might've happened. Meanwhile, RCC, who ostensibly 'worked' harder than me - as in doing the same/less work was more exhausting for her (she can't continue) - is "sparkling." I'm toweling. LOL. 

Somehow, this seems counter intuitive. However, I have a very limited knowledge base around the physiology of what's happening, and leave that to the educated ones (that's you, GT.) to answer my incessant "... but, WHY.." questions. My theory? It probably has something to do with the added muscle mass I have, the ridiculous amount of water I drink, the fact that I'm still carrying a significant amount of extra "insulation", random genetics, or some combination of the lot. 

Today's lesson: I'm a girly, ruffle-wearing, stiletto loving, martini-drinking woman... and I sweat puddles when I exercise. It may not be 'pretty', but at the end of the day, the guns/quads/ass I've got to show for those sweaty pushups/wall balls/squats/whatever, are WAY hotter than your dry brow and still-perfect ponytail. 

.... Although, I will still have to consult the great Google Oracle for why exactly that is. Hmm. I'll keep you posted.

Embrace the sweat, Ladies. Consider it a badge of a job well-done. 

“However mean your life is, meet it and live it.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 61:

I am pretty sure my quads, abs and possibly my hamstrings, may be a WEEE bit stiff tomorrow. Allow me to elaborate.

So, today was new workout day. I was pretty stoked to mix it up today and try out one that I had never done. It was supposed to be t-handle (like a kettlebell) swings (20 seconds swing, 10 seconds rest; 5 sets) and then Thrusters (like I have been doing). While driving home from the new job (Yay!), I do the math in my head and think to myself, "hmm... the swing portion will be like under 3 minutes. Total workout time will be like 20 mins. Can that be right?" So, I text the all-knowing GT. He simply asks me if I've done it yet. I say, "Noo....?" and then he just tells me to try it. And if 5 isn't enough sets of swings, do some more.  HMM. Okay, I think to my overly-confident self. No problemo. I can follow directions.
So, off I go to workout.

Today's WOD:
T-handle swings: 22#, 8 sets (20 sec. swing, 10 rest)
Thrusters: 21#DBs, 6 reps, 5 sets. 

Well, so, I start swinging - minding my form and focusing on the muscles I'm supposed to be working, etc. sets 1-4 weren't too bad, set 5 I broke a sweat, and set 7 and 8 were where I suddenly went... Oh HELLO quads. Hmm. After set 8, I felt that I had gone past the necessary requirement enough to test this maneuver out, and better move onto the Thrusters of Death (seriously, these are my arch nemesis. Or at least, they're in a competition with Split Squats for that title). Thus, I begin a couple of sets of Thrusters, suddenly realize how much swinging has been using my legs. Let me tell you, doing that swinging, then squatting low with 42 pounds on your shoulders and convincing your legs that they are going to "explode" up, is a reeeeaaaally hard sell.  Nonetheless, I got it done, 5 sets of 6.

And now I sit here, reminding myself to drink my damn water (WHY is hydration SO hard?), stop opening my big mouth (yes, 25 minutes was pretty good, today!), and thinking some stretching may be in order....

"Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.” - August Wilson

So, I wasn't going to post this, as it's not quite as positive and upbeat as I generally aim to be... HOWEVER. Then I reminded myself that the entire purpose of this blog is to chronicle my journey - Good, Bad, and Ugly.

Today I had a much needed rest day. Tomorrow, it's back to the workouts. There is a tiny obstacle (Obstacles are made to be climbed over, under, or through, right?!), though... I'm being dragged to an extended family BBQ  - 4.5 hours away. That means I have to be ready to be in the car at 8:30. With a half hour to shower/dress, and an hour (round trip) to get my run in, that puts me crawling out of bed at 6:30-7am.

This might be an excellent time to note just how much of a non-morning person I am. It's not to say it can't happen, but it is not a natural, or fun thing for me. Particularly when it's something I *don't* want to do. I *want* to run... I do NOT want to go to this family thing... which is putting my brain in a not-great place, for a lot of reasons. Particularly when it involves getting up so early.

*sigh*

BUT. I'm reminding myself what's important. Prioritizing myself is important. Getting healthy is important. Chasing down my goals is important. Getting "Spartan" is important. AROO!

So. As a form of accountability, I'm telling you, Cyberspace: I will be up, sneakers on and out the door, by 7am tomorrow.

Until I'm 6 feet under
Baby I don't need a bed
Gonna live while I'm alive
I'll sleep when I'm dead
Till they roll me over
And lay my bones to rest
Gonna live while I'm alive
I'll sleep when I'm dead......

Bon Jovi - I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (Album: Keep The Faith)


(PS. Yes. I'm drinking my damn water!)

A hydrated cell is a happy cell!

AND, I'm thirsty again. FML. Okay, so for a couple days, I stopped toting around my Nalgene bottle, constantly full of water, and now I'm thirsty than hell. AGAIN.
Back to the quest for hydration tomorrow. *sigh*. I've decided there has to be a better way!!! Bleh. Water.
Yes, Blog, currently, I'm just venting my frustration. Grr.

And I totally forgot to seek out a PVC pipe for hamstring rolling. Damn. Tomorrow. After my Run.

Run Day in the morning! Yay! Going to attempt to beat my 30 minute record.......